There's been a bit of a mystery surrounding Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith for the last few weeks. Smith was absent from the final two weeks of Vikings' training camp this summer due to a personal health issue, and it has caused some to wonder if he will be ready for the team's regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears next Monday.
Thankfully, some progress was made on Wednesday when Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell revealed that Smith had participated in the team's walk-thru earlier in the day.
The veteran Vikings safety didn't participate in the team's practice on Wednesday, but him taking part in the walk-thru now at least makes playing next Monday not seem impossible.
Harrison Smith update opens door for Minnesota Vikings safety to play in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears
We will likely find out more about what Smith is currently dealing with on Thursday when Minnesota releases its first injury report for Week 1. But for now, there's still just a bunch of questions surrounding all of it.
Ideally, the Vikings would like to have their longtime safety on the field next Monday when they take on Chicago. At the same time, Minnesota doesn't want to rush him back into action before he's ready and potentially create any additional problems.
Smith has been with the Vikings since they selected him in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. During his tenure with Minnesota, he's emerged as one of the best players to ever put on a purple and gold uniform.
In 14 years with the Vikings, he's been voted to six Pro Bowls, and he earned a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2017. Smith's 37 career interceptions also currently rank fourth in Minnesota team history.
But he turned 36 earlier this year, so his time in the NFL will likely be coming to an end soon. It's possible that the 2025 season could even be Smith's final one in the league.
Hopefully, he's able to recover from whatever is currently keeping him sidelined sooner rather than later, so he can help the Vikings chase a championship one last time.